The prosperity gospel isn’t just about health and wealth. Historian Kate Bowler says pragmatic values, simple solutions, and the endless quest for self-improvement, have infected most of the church in subtle ways. Kaitlyn Schiess talks to Dr. Bowler about her own battle with cancer, and how it’s helped her move beyond cliches like “Everything happens for a reason,” to embrace the larger mystery of faith.
Also this week, have elite evangelicals sold out to the mainstream media, or have populist evangelicals sold out to Trump voters? Everyone seems to be talking about the divide within evangelicalism, but is it really something new? The Holy Post crew looks at the arguments and how we could be seeing the latest version of a very old divide. Plus, Phil is fascinated by left-handed ghost squirrels.
News Segment:
Traveling with moss [1:38]
Animal Facts [5:34]
The divide within evangelicalism [14:40]
Interview with Kate Bowler:
Interview Start [52:19]
“Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved” - https://amzn.to/3FYKLRj
“No Cure for Being Human: (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)” - https://amzn.to/3C1jyuS
Kate’s Story [55:57]
“Blessed - A History of the American Prosperity Gospel” - https://amzn.to/2Z1aBD2
“No Cure for Being Human” Title [1:00:14]
Certainty vs. faith[1:05:31]
American pragmatism and “useful pain” [1:07:32]
Understanding fear and living after crisis [1:11:24]
Response and engagement with these books [1:18:57] https://katebowler.com/podcasts/
The miracle of moments [1:23:35]
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One word for Christian—terrarium😇 🌱 ⚗️
I listened to the Kate Bowler interview the day it came out and am still pondering it. I resonate with needing validation of the grief process or church trauma. I know there are many stories of persecuted Christians that will never make it into biographies because no "positive" can be found this side of heaven. I am aware of the many hurting older couples in our church with strayed adult children but I've never heard it come up.
Yes, this side of heaven we may not see the reason. But do all things work together for good..? I would say, yes, and Lord help my unbelief, strengthening my faith muscles on this! But forget trying to figure everything out; …
”One of trumps favorite tactics was, whatever he was being accused of, he would turn around and accuse his critics of the same thing” -Skye (and Skye was 100% right about this)
Much of the pre interview episode is about how more “traditional fundamental” conservative evangelicals our accusing Christians like you guys (us, really) of being “sellouts“ to be more palatable to the left. You guys spend some time defending yourselves and others and THEN:
“I’d argue that there are way way more conservative fundamental Christians who have compromised to be on the good side of Trump, or the good side of Trump’s audience in the recent years”. Skye
…?!?! Aren’t you doing exactly what you just accuse Trump of…
Hey guys, I appreciated the episode. Although I don't think you're giving into the mainstream or anything, I do think you need to work on your tone a bit when talking about other christians. Some of the comments seem mean-hearted and a lot of these trumpy fundamentalist types are really kind people who are just kinda confused, so please remember that in the grand scheme of things, your moral and doctrinal correctness are equal to those of evil cannibals (at least, compared to God).
Just work a bit on your tone, especially you skye.
We also have white squirrels in southern Indiana. (I've seen a few over the years - not consistently, which would seem to fit with it being a recessive gene in our local squirrel population.) This episode sent me on an internet rabbit trail (sorry for the mixed metaphor) & I found there's actually someone tracking white squirrel sightings (of all the different types of white eastern grey squirrels): https://untamedscience.com/biodiversity/white-squirrel/
And Phil might like to know: there's also a eastern grey squirrel color allele (gene) that can result in all black squirrels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_squirrel